Oceania

In a major shift towards owning renewable energy generation assets, electricity network infrastructure owner Spark Infrastructure has fully acquired the 120 MW Bomen Solar Farm in NSW. The project has inked a power purchase agreement with Westpac, which marks a big step towards its goal of sourcing 100% renewable electricity by 2025.

While lithium ion or even flow battery projects continue to dominate headlines, a report published today has highlighted the continuing role being played by lead acid battery storage. The report from the U.S.-based Consortium for Battery Innovation (CBI) illustrates how lead-acid batteries are being applied to a wide range of applications, and use cases, today.

Australia’s biggest power producer has secured the right to develop, own and operate a massive pumped hydro energy storage project at Hillgrove Resources’ Kanmantoo copper mine in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills region.

Significant progress has been reported on the feasibility study which aims to progress the establishment of a 15 GWh lithium-ion battery factory in Townsville. The study is conducted by the Imperium3 Townsville consortium.

First-quarter data from Green Energy Markets shows double the uptake of small-scale rooftop solar on the same period last year as record numbers of residential and business consumers seek to reduce their electricity bills. The tendency for installations to increase toward year end suggests that more than 2 GW of solar will hit the rooftop tiles this year. How could this become a cautionary tale?

German battery maker sonnen is following its takeover by Shell with plans to expand its market reach. It says it will use the opportunity to jointly push the energy transition. With an eye on sustainability, sonnen has launched an industry-wide initiative to push cobalt-free lithium-ion batteries for home storage systems.

The University of New South Wales (UNSW), the birthplace of pioneering PV technologies, is now developing another innovative solution: a large-scale hybrid energy storage that will combine lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. The first system will be installed at Risen Energy’s 121 MW Yarranlea Solar Farm in Queensland.

Solpod today launches a potential game changer in commercial solar PV. Substantially funded by ARENA, supported by energy retailer, ERM Power, and trialling across 25 shopping centres and NSW Government sites, this innovation has the legs to go global.

Australian researchers are developing short-term weather forecasts for solar farms to help them precisely predict output as little as five minutes in advance.

Spanish developer Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) has announced that its latest operational project in Australia, the 100 MW Lilyvale solar plant, is now up and running. FRV’s parent says it is strategically investing US$900 million throughout the world in 2019 to increase its installed capacity to 5.8 GW by 2024.